Runtime environments (such as JAVA RUNTIME ENVIRONMENT) often facilitate the execution of applets. For example, a webpage may host an applet. In this example, a user of a computing device may access the applet by navigating to the webpage within a browser. As the user navigates to the webpage, a runtime environment installed on the user's computing device may launch a virtual machine that executes the applet in connection with the browser.
Some runtime environments may include a security manager that prevents applets from executing unauthorized actions. For example, a security manager may prevent applets running within a runtime environment from initiating unauthorized file downloads to a user's computing device. Additionally or alternatively, the security manager may prevent applets running within the runtime environment from accessing, exporting, and/or modifying certain data stored on the user's computing device. Unfortunately, the runtime environment may have certain vulnerabilities that allow applets to disable the security manager. Upon disabling the security manager, these applets may be able to perform unauthorized actions without supervision or restriction from the security manager.
The instant disclosure, therefore, identifies and addresses a need for additional and improved systems and methods for thwarting unauthorized attempts to disable security managers within runtime environments.